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ITOPF • Celebrating 50 years
1968-2018
ITOPF • Celebrating 50 years
ITOPF at a glance
Chairman’s reflections
How it all began
• 1970s
• 1980s
• 1990s
• 2000s
• 2010s
Cases
Working together
ITOPF people
The next 50 years
04
06
08
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> 800 incidents in 100 countries
The world’s largest shipowner organisation, providing objective advice on effective response to spills of oil, chemicals and other substances in the marine environment.
Established in 1968 by tanker owners to administer a voluntary oil spill compensation schemeN t-f r-pr fit
Developed the technical services function in 1971
Operates internationally from London
Key Services
Training & Education
Spill Response
Claims Analysis & Damage Assessment
Information Services
Contingency Planning & Advice
Supports over 90% of all ocean going tonnage
7,900 Members owning or operating 13,600 tankers, barges, LPG/LNG carriers, FPSO/FSUs or combination carriers totalling 429 million GT
International Board of Directors comprising key names in shipping and P&I insurance
Observer status at IMO and IOPC Funds
Highly skilled international team ready to assist 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Awards up to £50,000 each year for R&D activities
Marine biologists, chemists, environmental scientists, engineers, geologists
34 Staff including 15 responders
Fluent in English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish
Library with over 15,000 items on marine pollution and related topics
50 yearsPromoting effective spill response
90%Associates, the owners of all other types of ships, totalling810
million GT IMO IOPC
Funds
cases per year
Attends on average
k
04
20
ITOPF was conceived with the intent of creating
an organisation dedicated to administering
TOVALOP, the tanker-owners’ voluntary system
of compensation, and it has grown to become the
world’s most respected authority on preparedness
and response to spills from ships. Like TOVALOP,
ITOPF was to be a temporary arrangement,
expected to last only as long as the interim
voluntary compensation regimes. However, like
these voluntary regimes, ITOPF quickly proved its
worth far beyond the timescale originally envisaged.
The fair and equitable way in which the cost of
maintaining ITOPF is shared across the industry
has ensured ITOPF’s continued existence in a
manner that is both sustainable and inexpensive.
The not-for-profit basis upon which it operates
has secured its success thus far and, undoubtedly,
will continue to do so in the future.
It is interesting that, as the global shipping fleet
has increased in size over the decades, the
number of incidents that ITOPF has attended
has not increased proportionately. Over this
period, ITOPF’s involvement with non-tanker
incidents has grown, such that during the
last ten years these constitute approximately
two-thirds of all incidents attended. Contribution
to ITOPF’s funding has moved in response to
this trend to ensure fairness between ITOPF’s
Members and Associates is maintained.
Statistics gathered in relation to oil spills from
tankers since 1970 demonstrate a dramatic
and sustained reduction in both the number of
oil spills and the quantity of oil spilt, such that
today, 99.99% of all oil cargoes reach their
destinations safely.
Chairman’s reflectionsITOPF’s Chairman Paddy Rodgers, Chief Executive Officer of Euronav, reflects on 50 years of ITOPF.
ITOPF was created on Christmas Eve 50 years ago and it has been a remarkable success story. Today, ITOPF is trusted as a provider of objective technical advice on ship-source spills by industry and governments worldwide. This is a great endorsement of the commitment and investment made by shipowners and their insurers over the past five decades.
>
ITOPF Membership and Associates by gross tonnage
Membership Associates
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Grt
(Mill
ion)
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1995
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
ITOPF supports over 90% of all ocean-going tonnage
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Num
ber
of
spill
s
Average number of spills per year by decade
7-700 tonnes > 700 tonnes
Downward trend in large and medium oil spills from tankers
78.8
45.4
35.8
18.1
6.6
1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015
1970
s
1980
s
1990
s
2000
s
2010
s
Num
ber
of
spill
s
Tanker Non-Tanker
ITOPF attendance on-site by decade
250
200
150
100
50
0
The shipping industry is constantly striving
towards a goal of “zero spills” from ships and we
recognise our part in managing that risk to the
best of our ability. Nevertheless, accidents always
remain a possibility and occasionally the worst
happens. In these situations, it is reassuring
to know that the team of highly qualified and
objective scientists at ITOPF are on-hand to work
closely with all parties involved to bring about an
efficient response to the incident and to minimise
both economic and environmental losses.
06
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
07
How it all began The night before Christmas…On Christmas Eve 1968 the International Tanker
Owners Pollution Federation Ltd (ITOPF) was
officially established. Its principal purpose was
to administer TOVALOP, a unique voluntary
oil pollution compensation scheme set up by
shipowners and their insurers.
The concept of TOVALOP evolved from one
major, and very serious, incident on 18th March
1967 when TORREY CANYON, one of the first
supertankers, ran aground on rocks off the
Cornish coast of the UK. During the next 12 days,
the vessel broke up, spilling its entire cargo of
Kuwait crude oil, which contaminated coastlines
in southwest England, the Channel Islands and
Brittany, France.
After many drafting sessions, an agreement was
produced on 7th January 1969 which represented
a substantial and constructive advance in the
legal regime applicable to oil pollution damage.
The fundamental concept of TOVALOP was that if
a tanker entered in the agreement spilled oil, the
company owning the tanker would either remove
the oil itself or would reimburse reasonable clean-
up costs incurred by governments. The companies
entering TOVALOP undertook to insure themselves
against these liabilities, in most cases through
a P&I Club. For TOVALOP to apply it was not
necessary to demonstrate that the tanker owner
or bareboat charterer was at fault and, as a result,
compensation could be available to claimants
without recourse to legal proceedings.
The TOVALOP Agreement became fully effective
in October 1969, when it had secured 50%
of the world’s tanker tonnage as Members.
Just six months later, this had risen to 80%.
A supplementary agreement called CRISTAL2
evolved from this initial voluntary agreement to
provide a second layer of compensation payable
by cargo owners. These two voluntary schemes
provided the basis for the development of two
formal international governmental regimes - the
Civil Liability Convention and the International
Convention on the Establishment of an International
Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage
(FUND) - and were intended as an interim measure
pending the latter’s widespread ratification.
TOVALOP
The seven major oil companies, who owned a
high proportion of seaborne oil cargoes and also
operated a significant part of the world’s tanker
fleet, agreed upon the idea of an industry initiative
in which tanker owners voluntarily accepted
strict liability to pay compensation for oil pollution
damage up to an amount limited by the tonnage
of the tanker from which the spill originated.
Liability for the costs of the response and pollution
damage was ill-defined and compensation was
made available only after a protracted legal
process. The British government, faced with the
potential recurrence of such an incident, urged the
International Maritime Consultative Organization
(now the International Maritime Organization, IMO)
to consider possible changes in maritime law and
international regulations. In the meantime, the oil
and shipping industries were actively considering
their own response to the new challenges facing
them after TORREY CANYON.
The initiative was formalised in an agreement
known as TOVALOP (the Tanker Owners Voluntary
Agreement Concerning Liability for Oil Pollution).
From the very beginning it was recognised that,
in order to have sufficient impact, the support of
the independent tanker owners and their traditional
liability insurers, the Protection & Indemnity (P&I)
Clubs, would be necessary.
Legally and practically the new agreement
presented several questions and difficulties but,
after many hours of debate and discussion, tanker
owners and their insurers were convinced of the
longer term benefits of TOVALOP, without which
the agreement would never have succeeded.
It was agreed that P&I cover should be extended
to include claims under TOVALOP and integral
to this undertaking would be the eventual
establishment of a core of technical expertise at
ITOPF to advise on best practice when preparing
for and responding to oil pollution incidents.
The grounding of TORREY CANYON and the consequent loss of its entire cargo brought industry and government together in their desire to ensure cargoes could be delivered to their destination safely. (Photo crown copyright)
John Kirby (right) of Shell, ITOPF’s innovative and pioneering first Chairman, “not only inspired the creation of TOVALOP in the first place but, by his drive and determination, succeeded in persuading others of the merits of the concept”1 pictured with Alex Hetherington, later ITOPF’s Managing Director.
The seven oil companies behind TOVALOP
• British Petroleum• ESSO • Gulf Oil • Mobil Oil • Shell • Standard Oil • TEXACO
“The industry has recognised its responsibility to the citizens of the world and has given the highest priority to the protection of our marine environment.” 3 Adolph B Kurz
TORREY CANYON focuses world attention on the risks and environmental impacts of major
marine spills
First meeting of ITOPF Directors held at Britannic
House, London
TOVALOP comes into effect
IMCO conference in Brussels produces the 1969 Civil
Liability Convention
ITOPF officially established to
administer TOVALOP
Oil companies convene to agree a voluntary agreement
to address oil pollution from tankers
1967 19691968
2 Contract Regarding an Interim Supplement to Tanker Liability for Oil Pollution1 ITOPF Report & Accounts 1973
Adolph B Kurz, ITOPF Director from 1970 and Chairman from 1973 – 1982
The original TOVALOP Agreement
Art Tripp, ITOPF’s Managing Director from 1969 – 1971
09
3 Quoted in Ten years of TOVALOP
08
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
Federation ‘fire brigade’
To many, a particularly attractive aspect of
the original TOVALOP proposal was that there
should be a central technical department to give
immediate ‘fire brigade’ assistance whenever
and wherever an oil spill might occur. In 1971,
responsibility for setting up this department was
given to John Wardley-Smith, former head of
the UK Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research at the Warren Spring Laboratory. John
was experienced in the development of methods
to combat oil pollution and his first assignments
involved providing help and technical advice to
governments and other authorities. By 1972, he
was attending on-site at spills, giving Members
and insurers ‘on-the-spot’ practical advice and
monitoring the progress of operations.
In the early 70s “oil pollution response was handled with notably little enthusiasm and even less ability. I saw this first hand at the spills I attended in my first two years at the Federation. It was not difficult for the Federation to provide the enthusiasm and, with time, experience alone went a long way to make up for any lack of knowledge.”1
John Wardley-Smith OBE became ITOPF’s first Technical Manager in 1971
Alex Hetherington, formerly of Shell, was Managing Director from 1971 – 79
First TOVALOP certificate issued
ITOPF produces its first ‘sitrep’ from site CLC 69 comes into force
Tanker spill statistics programme launched
1972 19751974
ITOPF started the decade solely as the
administrator of TOVALOP. Its role was to
check the eligibility of tankers entering the
scheme; to issue certificates required for
entry to certain ports; to monitor the progress
of claims settlements and to promote
the TOVALOP Agreement globally among
maritime nations.
Membership of the organisation rapidly
expanded and in 1971 Alex Hetherington,
who, through his involvement with drafting
TOVALOP, was intimately familiar with its
scope and intent, became Managing Director.
It soon became evident that while TOVALOP
helped to ensure that clean-up costs incurred
by governments and tanker owners in
responding to spills were reimbursed, there
was no ready source of advice to help them
undertake the response in the most efficient
and cost effective way.
John was joined by Captain Mike Garnett in 1973
and, with the relatively high rate of spills in the
1970s, the team rapidly gained extensive practical
experience.
1 Quoted in ITOPF Annual Review 1994
Oil cargo owners agreement CRISTAL supplements TOVALOP
ITOPF Technical Department established
1971 Fund Convention adopted as additional level of
compensation to the CLC
1971
through the decadesITOPF
ITOPF grows, expands its Membership and is increasingly influential in spill response.
1970s1970
Capt Mike Garnett OBE had previously spent 32 years in the Royal Navy and, as Operations Officer to the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1967-68, was responsible for co-ordinating the TORREY CANYON response.
Mike Garnett
10 11
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
In many parts of the world there was no local expertise
available for pollution response and ITOPF provided a
valuable service to its Members and to the national and local
authorities charged with dealing with the incident. It was
not unusual for the team to take an active involvement with
the more practical aspects of the clean-up. This included,
for example, advising on shoreline operations and the aerial
application of dispersants.
In these early days, ITOPF’s focus was most often on
advising how to ‘clean up the mess’, but as the decade
progressed there was a growing tendency for even fairly
minor oil pollution incidents to lead to substantial claims for
compensation. This resulted in ITOPF increasingly becoming
involved in the technical evaluation of claims after the event,
including the relevance and scale of the actions taken and
the extent of losses to fisheries and the impact on the
environment.
ITOPF made considerable progress and quickly gained
international acceptance as a reputable body displaying
professional competence and, critically, no bias. Speeches
were made at national and international conferences;
meetings held with governments and coastguard
representatives and talks were given to groups of tanker
owners, underwriters and oil companies to promote
awareness of the organisation.
Recognition of the value of ITOPF’s services by both
government and industry led to a growing role for ITOPF in oil
spill contingency planning. This included collaboration with
oil companies in 1973 to produce a contingency plan for the
Caribbean region, and in 1976 assisting the UNEP/IMCO2 Oil
Combatants Centre in Malta (now known as REMPEC) with
contingency planning in the Mediterranean. Before the close
of the decade ITOPF had delivered a major assignment for
the European Economic Community (EEC) on measures
to enhance oil spill response within 18 Member states.
Information servicesIn ITOPF’s early days its Board was concerned
with the lack of reliable statistics on the number
of oil spills from tankers occurring throughout the
world. It was known that oil was being spilt but it
had not been established with any accuracy how,
when, where, why, or how much oil was spilt.
With access to the owners of almost all of the
world’s tanker tonnage, ITOPF was in a unique
position to gather this information. Following
an initial pilot exercise, ITOPF’s data collection
programme was officially launched in 1974.
The voluntary nature of the reporting resulted in
a number of imbalances in the data but, where
possible, gaps were filled by monitoring the
shipping press and checking lists of spills from
external sources, such as national governments,
international organisations and research
institutes. Despite some initial difficulties, the
programme proved successful and produced
statistics capable of clarifying the size and scale
of oil spills from tanker incidents and enabling
discussions to be better informed.
As the Technical Department grew in
experience, it rapidly built up a central
repository of background information on
oil spills throughout the world. This included
accounts of major incidents; a large collection
of test reports and trade literature on all types of
equipment and service providers. The collection
was formalised in 1977 with the development
of a specialised library and information service.
Significant efforts and resources were devoted to
this task with the aim of supporting the activities
of the Technical Department and providing
information and documentation to Members and
to outside organisations with similar interests.
In order to deal with the growing volume of work as its reputation increased, the technical department was strengthened with the addition of Dr Ian White (1977), Joe Nichols (1978) and Dr Tosh Moller (1979).
Elspeth Everitt (Information Officer) and David Scarfe (Technical Information Coordinator) in the ITOPF library
By the close of the 1970s, most of ITOPF’s
staff were engaged in providing technical and
information services but the administration of
TOVALOP remained an integral part of ITOPF’s
work. The Civil Liability Convention 1969 (CLC
69) had come into force in 1975 and the Fund
Convention in 1978, but ratification of these
international Conventions was slow. Many
countries at risk from tanker spills continued to
rely on the voluntary agreements and TOVALOP
and CRISTAL were to remain highly relevant for
a number of years yet. In June 1978, TOVALOP
was radically redrafted to mirror the principal
provisions of CLC 69, effectively ‘plugging
the gap’ until more countries had signed up
to the international regime.
Spreading the TOVALOP message at POSIDONIA, the international shipping exhibition, Piraeus, Greece
2 United Nations Environment Programme/Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization
Library and information service established
1977
First major advisory assignment undertaken for the EEC
ATLANTIC EMPRESS spills 287,000 tonnes of crude oil off Tobago and is the largest
ship-source spill ever recorded
1971 Fund Convention comes into force
AMOCO CADIZ spills 223,000 tonnes of crude oil off Brittany, France
First ITOPF paper published in a peer-reviewed journal
Computerised data on oil spills developed
1978
AMOCO CADIZ ran aground off Brittany, France in 1978 spilling 223,000 tonnes of crude oil which contaminated 360km of shoreline. ITOPF attended on-site to assist the French authorities.
12
ITOPFThrough the decades
13
1979
It was now quite common for spills, irrespective of
their size, to give rise to diverse claims for damage.
This reflected changes in government and public
attitudes with regard to the types of damage that
should be compensated. There was also a growing
awareness of the environmental consequences of
oil pollution and a considerable growth in coastal
activities such as mariculture and tourism.
The technical assessment of claims for
pollution damage now became established
as a major and regular part of ITOPF’s work.
Whether for TOVALOP, CRISTAL or under the
international Conventions, ITOPF provided a
consistent, cost-effective and scientifically-based
assessment of claims. As well as its own first-
hand observations, ITOPF also started organising
the sampling and chemical analysis of oil,
water, sediments and biota to investigate
the ‘reasonableness’ of some claims.
John Archer, previously in charge of the Marine Division at the UK Department of Trade, becomes Managing Director in September 1979.
Developments in technical work
By the 1980s, the combined efforts of
governments and industry to improve safety
and pollution prevention were paying dividends
and large tanker spills were decreasing in
number. Under the new leadership of John
Archer, demand for ITOPF’s expertise remained
strong, especially in response to smaller
quantities of oil being spilt.
ITOPF’s involvement was not confined only to
tanker incidents. Spills of bunker fuel from other
classes of ships were also giving rise to claims
for similar damage. ITOPF assisted with these
non-Member incidents on a fee-paying basis,
subject to the availability of technical staff.
ITOPF’s Board also agreed for the technical team
to be available, if required, to advise on oil spills
from offshore rigs, platforms and pipelines. It was
felt that this would serve to foster good relations
with the parties involved and be a useful way to
increase its knowledge.
EXXON VALDEZ grounded in Prince William Sound, Alaska spilling about 37,000 tonnes of crude oil.
1980s
through the decadesITOPF
The number of major tanker spills reduces; ITOPF consolidates its position as the leading and most trusted provider of technical advice and develops its training and education role.
By far the most significant spill of the decade
was the EXXON VALDEZ in Alaska in 1989. This
became the focus of world media attention with the
result that a number of subsequent spills received
far more exposure than perhaps would otherwise
have been the case. It also resulted in numerous
legislative proposals - not least the US Oil Pollution
Act 1990 - as well as studies and reviews of past
oil spills, especially in relation to ship construction,
the adequacy of contingency planning and oil spill
response techniques. ITOPF was involved in many
of these reviews by providing data or expert advice
and evidence.
14 15
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
Supported by its educational resources, ITOPF
participated in numerous seminars, training
courses and workshops, particularly for IMO, with
whom it was granted Observer status in 1980.
It also began engaging with P&I Clubs during the
winter of 1982/3 to raise awareness of its work.
Following the success of the EEC project,
ITOPF continued to undertake a number of
carefully selected advisory assignments in the
1980s. This complemented its response activities
by familiarising the team with response resources
and key personnel around the world and also
helped ITOPF to become more widely accepted
as an international centre of expertise on marine
oil pollution by governments, intergovernmental
organisations, and the shipping and oil industries.
The most ambitious project undertaken was a
worldwide survey of oil spill response arrangements
for the US Navy. Completed in stages, this involved
visits to 121 ports used by US naval vessels and
reports on 128 countries.
Through these activities, ITOPF was able to apply
its knowledge and experience in a constructive way
to promote best practice in spill preparedness and
response in the long term.
Other key services
The 1980s saw the development of ITOPF’s
work to include the key services of training and
education, complementing its spill response,
claims, advisory and information activities.
In 1981 the first in a series of 12 Technical
Information Papers (TIPs) was produced in order
to disseminate the practical knowledge and
experience gained from spills. Completed in 1986,
the TIPs achieved sales of over 90,000 individual
copies in more than 100 countries and enhanced
ITOPF’s technical standing within the industry and
among state administrations and international
bodies.
The success of the TIPs led to ITOPF’s first foray
into film making. In 1986 ITOPF financed and
produced a series of five training videos entitled
“Response to Marine Oil Spills” presented by the
senior UK TV journalist, Sir Trevor MacDonald,
with the IMO, EEC and the Videotel Group
as partners. The videos were received with
considerable enthusiasm and a significant
proportion were provided to developing countries
by IMO. The written material accompanying the
videos was subsequently compiled as a book,
published in English, French and Spanish under
the same title in 1987, and later translated into
Japanese and Korean.
TOVALOP revised
TOVALOP had only been intended as an interim
measure until the widespread ratification of the
international Conventions but, in fact, it continued
to play a fundamental role in the compensation
process throughout the 1980s. In 1987 a revised
TOVALOP Agreement and CRISTAL contract came
into effect with enhanced limits and updated
terms. This had the effect of breathing fresh life
into the voluntary compensation schemes by
anticipating the rising cost of oil spills from tankers
and ensuring adequate compensation would be
available to meet valid claims in future.
For information on ITOPF’s day-to-day activities and updates on developments in the field, ITOPF began producing a regular newsletter for its Members and contacts from 1980 onwards.
The technical team was bolstered by the appointments of Hugh Parker and Dr Brian Dicks in 1980 and 1987 respectively
The Japanese version of Response to Marine Oil Spills produced by the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ)
Mike Garnett arriving on-site at the CASTILLO DE BELLVER incident in South Africa, 1983
Following the retirements of John Archer and Mike Garnett, the two top posts were filled internally in 1987 with Ian White, formerly Assistant to the Managing Director, and Joe Nichols, formerly Deputy Technical Manager, leading ITOPF into the next decade as MD and Technical Manager respectively.
ITOPF is granted Observer status by IMO and IOPC Fund
First newsletter to Members issued
MARPOL 73/78 enters into force covering prevention of pollution of the marine
environment by ships from operational or accidental causes
First set of ITOPF films released
Response to Marine Oil Spills book published
EXXON VALDEZ spills 37,000 tonnes of crude oil
off Alaska, USA
First Technical Information Papers (TIPs) published
ITOPF acquires its first mini-computer
First major training assignment undertaken (IMO regional training
course, Chile)
Revised TOVALOP Agreement and CRISTAL contract come into effect
1986 1989198719811980
The ITOPF team in the mid 1980s
ITOPFThrough the decadesITOPFThrough the decades
16 17
CASTILLO DE BELLVER spills 252,000 tonnes of crude oil off Saldanha Bay, South Africa
1983
Gulf War oil spill - two members of the technical team visit Saudi Arabia at the request of the Commission of the European Communities to give on the spot advice on clean-up and the mitigation of damage.
A global reputation
The 1990s were marked by a number of high-
profile incidents, but overall the downward trend
in tanker spills continued. ITOPF was involved with
all the major spills of the decade, including the
intentional release of crude oil during the 1991
Gulf War, which is widely regarded as the largest
oil spill in history. The 1990s were also notable
for ITOPF’s advice being sought in relation to
other environmental issues arising from shipping
incidents, such as physical damage to coral reefs.
Work begins on an in-house equipment database
USA enacts the Oil Pollution Act 1990 placing requirements on ship and
facility owners to mitigate, respond to and compensate for oil spills
ITOPF logo first appears
Mini-computer replaced by networked PCs
Work starts on Country Profiles IRA bombs damage ITOPF’s office
BRAER spills 85,000 tonnes of crude oil off
the Shetland Islands, UK
First female Technical Adviser appointed
Gulf War oil spill - widely regarded as the largest oil
spill in history
1992/3 19941993
1990s
through the decadesITOPF
ITOPF responds to several high profile incidents, there is an important new Convention and non-tanker shipowners are invited to join.
1990 1992
ITOPF’s first logo
18 19
1991
ITOPF attends the BRAER, SEA EMPRESS and ERIKA incidents during the 1990s
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
OPRC comes into force
1995
SEA EMPRESS spills 72,000 tonnes of crude oil
off Milford Haven, UKTOVALOP
expires
ITOPF starts using email and launches website
1992 CLC and Fund Protocols enter into force
1997
OPRC
The spills of the 1990s played out against
a backdrop of significant developments at
government and intergovernmental level.
1990 saw the adoption of the International
Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness,
Response and Co-operation (OPRC) which
provided a global framework to facilitate
international co-operation and mutual assistance
in preparing for and responding to major oil
pollution incidents. ITOPF took an active role in the
diplomatic conference that finalised the Convention
and participated in meetings of the OPRC Working
Group at IMO. When it entered into force in
1995, ITOPF assisted with implementation of the
Convention requirements by providing support
on contingency planning, drafting of technical
guidelines and with training courses and exercises.
It was one of a group of experts and organisations
responsible for developing the series of IMO OPRC
Model training courses and, in 1996, participated
as a lecturer and evaluator in the first trial delivery
of one of the courses at the World Maritime
University (WMU).
Sharing knowledge
ITOPF was alert to the high level of public
awareness about oil pollution and shared its
technical knowledge as widely as possible. The
tanker statistics had always generated interest,
especially at the time of major tanker accidents,
and in 1993 ITOPF produced its first annual
“statistics pack” providing a succinct report on
the incidence of oil tanker spills. This coincided
with the production of Country Profiles: 2-3 page
documents summarising the oil spill response
arrangements and clean-up resources in different
maritime states. They were originally produced
to help shipowners develop their Shipboard Oil
Pollution Emergency Plans (SOPEPs), which are
required under the MARPOL Convention1, but also
proved useful to other organisations involved in
contingency planning and responding to oil spills.
In the context of the OPRC Convention, ITOPF
undertook an assessment of the risk of oil spills
and the state of preparedness in 13 UNEP regional
sea areas in 1996, which generated considerable
interest. This study found that there was substantial
variation in the risk of major spills from tankers
between, and within, the various seas and it
highlighted the large number of countries in high
risk areas that had yet to address the problems
associated with oil spills.
Associate status
Post-TOVALOP, ITOPF reviewed its vision and primary
objectives and set out a five-year strategy for the
future. It concluded that its core activities should
remain unchanged but it identified areas that needed
further attention.
The most significant change was that, while it was
agreed that ITOPF should remain a tanker owners’
organisation, other classes of shipowner should be
able to call on its technical services on a similar basis
to tanker owners. This recognised ITOPF’s increasingly
important role in responding to bunker spills from
non-tankers (which had accounted for about 25% of
all spills attended by ITOPF in the previous 10 years).
It was therefore agreed that, from 20th February 1999,
the owners and bareboat charterers of non-tankers
should be eligible to become Associates of ITOPF.
At the same time, the broadening of ITOPF’s definition
of tanker meant that more owners and bareboat
charterers of LPG and LNG carriers, as well as other
types of tanker not previously eligible for entry, could
now enrol as ITOPF Members.
By the end of the decade, ITOPF had evolved from
its original administrative role into an organisation that
was highly regarded for its technical expertise and
supported by over 90% of the world’s ocean-going
tonnage. A number of technical appointments were made in the 1990s to ensure that ITOPF continued to meet the heavy demand for its services. In 1994 it engaged its first female Technical Adviser. Previously an exclusively male preserve, Dr Karen Purnell’s appointment paved the way for more women to join the technical team.
ITOPF launched its first website in 1996 (Ian White pictured with Chairman Helge Schmidt)
1 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
1996
ERIKA spills 20,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil off Brittany, France
1999
Associate status introduced
During the BRAER incident (Shetland, UK, 1993), ITOPF received an unusual request for an interview from the German edition of ‘Playboy’ magazine which wanted to focus on the “daring types” who respond to spills rather than the event itself; the “experts and adventurers, scientists and daredevils - the Red Adairs of the Seven Seas”. The article appeared in March 1993 and featured Brian Dicks (pictured) “With chaos and confusion reigning all over the island, Dicks starts by gaining the necessary overview with stoic self-control and a cup of tea…” and Jean-Yves Huet “the good looking Frenchman with the steel-blue eyes and the builder’s hands...”
ITOPF’s unparalleled practical experience as a respected voice on spill
related issues meant its advice was widely valued internationally. It was
asked to participate in government committees and enquiries established in
the wake of the EXXON VALDEZ, BRAER and SEA EMPRESS incidents and
actively participated in many of the post-ERIKA debates, in particular with
the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC Fund) and European
Commission. SEA EMPRESS and ERIKA additionally required a significant internal
effort on the assessment of claims and led to the establishment of the Technical
Support team to assist with this task. ITOPF was also becoming more involved
in oil spill research and development (R&D) activities, carrying out two studies
for the UK Marine Pollution Control Unit (MPCU), and participating on R&D
committees established by the MPCU, the US National Research Council
and the US Marine Spill Response Corporation.
The technical and information team in the early 1990s
End of TOVALOP
Improvements to the international system
of compensation led to “time” being called
on TOVALOP in 1997.
The CLC and Fund Conventions had
been updated by Protocols in 1992 which
came into force in 1996. These offered
several advantages over TOVALOP and
CRISTAL and the existing Conventions.
For example, shipowners’ limits of liability
were increased and compensation was
made available for tankers in ballast, as
well as for actions taken when no spill
of oil occurred, providing there was an
appreciable threat of pollution damage.
As more countries around the world
embraced the international regime the
voluntary arrangements became less
relevant. ITOPF’s Directors concluded
that TOVALOP had served its intended
purpose and allowed the scheme to
expire at the end of its financial year
in 1997.
The end of TOVALOP did not spell the
end for ITOPF, however. Changes to its
Articles of Association were agreed by
the Membership ensuring that it would
continue to play an active technical and
advisory role in the coming decades.
Non-tank vessels were eligible to join ITOPF as Associates from 1999
20 21
A wider variety of spills
Into the new millennium and spills of bunker
fuel from non-tankers accounted for a high
proportion of ITOPF’s work. Claims analysis
also grew to be a key component of ITOPF’s
activities both on-site and in the London office.
From their peak in the 1970s, large
tanker spills had now reduced by over
90%. Nonetheless, the two incidents that
generated ITOPF’s greatest workloads for
the decade both involved tankers, namely
PRESTIGE (Spain, 2002) and HEBEI SPIRIT
(Republic of Korea, 2007), and led to
significant legislative changes.
The prominence of spills involving heavy fuel
oils (HFO), such as the PRESTIGE incident,
was a notable feature of the 2000s. Such oils
are highly persistent when spilt on the surface
of the sea and therefore do not readily
dissipate. They can also be very difficult
to clean up. HEBEI SPIRIT spilt a variety
of crude oils in a very sensitive area and
had a significant impact on coastal fishing
communities along much of the west coast
of the Republic of Korea.
The PRESTIGE and HEBEI SPIRIT incidents involved a major commitment from the ITOPF team, both on-site and in the office.2000s
through the decadesITOPF
Bunker and chemical spills become more prominent, new risk areas emerge and assessment of environmental damage is more sophisticated.
22 23
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
Spills of substances other than oil also
demanded more attention during this decade.
In 2003 ITOPF established an internal
Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS)
Working Group to ensure prompt advice could
be given in the event of the threat or actual
spillage of HNS. ITOPF was already providing
advice on different types of oil and cargoes spilt
from ships, including HNS, but the occurrence
of some high-profile HNS incidents, combined
with the adoption of the OPRC-HNS Protocol1
in 2000 as well as an increased drive to ratify
the HNS Convention2, reignited focus on the
potential dangers of chemical spills at sea.
New risk areas
A noticeable feature of the incidents attended
during this decade was the large number of
cases occurring in South East Asia. Indeed,
one in every ten spills attended by ITOPF in the
2000s was in China, largely reflecting increasing
maritime trade in the country and an associated
increase in risk. The number of spills, and the
complexity of the issues arising, provided the
impetus for ITOPF’s investment in outreach
work in the region. ITOPF welcomed a number
of different delegations from China to its office;
hosted two interns and taught at a variety
of seminars and workshops in China.
It also provided comments and suggestions
on regulatory developments in the region.
The Thor Heyerdahl Award
In 2003 ITOPF was recognised for its
“outstanding services for the benefit of
the marine environment” by winning the
Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime
Environmental Award. The prize, established
in 1999 by the explorer and scientist Thor
Heyerdahl and the Norwegian Shipowners’
Association, included a sculpture and a
cheque for $100,000, which ITOPF used to
sponsor research and educational activities.
Environmental damage
The complexity of issues arising from ship-
source pollution cases had steadily increased
over the years and environmental damage
assessments now featured more prominently.
As a result, ITOPF staff were dedicating
more time to explaining the benefit of, and
facilitating, joint environmental monitoring
surveys using both local and international
experts.
In the USA, ITOPF played a central role
under a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) developed by the International Group
of Protection & Indemnity Clubs (IG) and
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) to facilitate the
process of damage assessment and
restoration following incidents.
The TASMAN SPIRIT tanker incident in
Pakistan in 2003 led to ITOPF collaborating
with other partners to develop a joint IMO/
UNEP guidance document on conducting
post spill environmental damage assessments
and restoration measures with a specific
focus on the needs of developing countries.
Developments to the international compensation regimes
The international regime providing compensation
following oil spills from tankers had operated
successfully throughout the 1990s, but a spate
of serious oil spill incidents prompted a review of
the level of compensation available. In response,
new CLC/Fund limits were agreed in 2000 and,
in 2003, the Supplementary Fund Protocol was
adopted which introduced an optional third tier
of compensation for eligible contracting states
already signed up to the 1992 Conventions.
In 2006, the oil industry and IG also voluntarily
introduced two agreements, the Small Tanker
Oil Pollution Indemnification Agreement (STOPIA)
and the Tanker Oil Pollution Indemnification
Agreement (TOPIA) to ensure that compensation
was paid equitably by shipowners/insurers
and the oil cargo contributors to the Fund
Convention.
A gap in the international regime providing
compensation for ship-source spills was closed
in 2001 with the adoption of the International
Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil
Pollution Damage (the Bunker Convention).
This allowed prompt and adequate compensation
for those who suffered damage caused by spills
of oil used to fuel a ship and came into force
in 2008.
Throughout this period, ITOPF continued
to promote the benefits of the international
compensation regimes worldwide and to
encourage adherence to their principles.
The 2000s saw an increased focus on HNS spills
Shoreline clean-up in Guangdong province, China, following a spill of bunker fuel from a containership, 2009
In 2003, Ian White, who had been Managing Director since 1987, handed over the helm to Tosh Moller who had been with ITOPF since 1979. During his tenure as MD, Ian oversaw the expansion of the organisation’s technical department; the change of focus away from the administration of TOVALOP to purely technical services; and the introduction of Associate status for the owners of ships other than tankers. He was awarded an OBE 3 in 1998 for “services to the environment” for his work on the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee.
After 30 years with ITOPF, Tosh Moller handed over the position of Managing Director to Karen Purnell in May 2009 and Richard Johnson took up the role of Technical Director from Hugh Parker. As in previous years, there was a chemist and marine biologist at the head of the organisation, both seasoned ITOPF employees who joined on the same day in 1994.
Tosh Moller (pictured at his retirement party in April 2009) played a major role in building, maintaining and promoting ITOPF’s reputation for consistent and sound technical advice on ship-source pollution.
In-house GIS developed to capture and analyse spill
and other geographic data
ITOPF wins Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Awardd
PRESTIGE spills 63,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil off
Galicia, Spain
2001 20032002
ITOPF delivers its first chemical response
training course
Moves to current premises at Oliver’s Yard
Supplementary Fund enters into force
2004
STOPIA & TOPIA agreed
OPRC-HNS Protocol enters
into force
HEBEI SPIRIT spills 10,900 tonnes of crude oil off
Taean, Republic of Korea
20072006
New membership database allows renewals to be
completed in record time
2008
Bunker Convention enters
into force
1 Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances, 20002 International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea3 Officer of the Order of the British Empire
ITOPFThrough the decades
24 25
TASMAN SPIRIT spills ~ 30,000 tonnes of crude
oil off Karachi, Pakistan
Current challenges
Into the current decade and the trend
towards fewer and smaller spills from tankers
is established with larger spills now being
a rarity. However, accidents still happen,
as demonstrated on 6th January 2018 by
the tragic event involving the tanker SANCHI
in which the cargo of condensate caught
fire following a collision in the East China
Sea. Learning lessons from incidents such
as these will assist tanker owners and
governments to continue to work together
to reach the highest level of safety and
environmental stewardship.
Against this backdrop, ITOPF continues to
consolidate its expertise in preparedness and
response. ITOPF is now routinely called upon
to provide technical advice, both on site and
remotely, on a variety of different cargoes,
including coal, cereals, HNS, timber and even
livestock. Incidents involving containerships
have presented particular challenges. While
the fate and behaviour of oil is generally well
understood, the same cannot be said of
lost containers or their cargoes. Dangerous
goods are understandably the primary
concern, but perhaps less obvious are the
hazards associated with dangerous gases
or low oxygen environments caused by
decomposing organic cargoes, such
as grain or thawing fish. Wrongly declared
container contents or weights can also
present major challenges. Incidents can
become highly complex when both oil
and a variety of cargoes are spilt. The
increasing capacity of containerships will
almost certainly test emergency response
arrangements in the future.
Wreck removal
Following the technical achievement of the oil removal operation from the sunken wreck of the PRESTIGE,
the drive to remove both oil and wrecks from coastal waters culminated in the entry into force of the
Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks in 2015. This provided the first set of
international rules and procedures aimed at ensuring the prompt and effective removal of shipwrecks
where they posed a navigational or environmental hazard. ITOPF has provided objective technical
advice on a wide range of environmental impacts associated with shipwrecks, including, in 2013,
during the successful “parbuckling” operation in Italy to right the cruise liner, COSTA CONCORDIA, one
of the biggest salvage operations in maritime history. The importance of ITOPF’s work in this area was
recognised when it won the Salvage & Wreck Conference Environmental Protection Award 2017.
MSC CHITRA spills bunkers and containers off
Mumbai, IndiaNew set of
TIPs published
ITOPF signs a Letter of Agreement with IMO and becomes a visiting professor at
the World Maritime University
ITOPF R&D Award established
RENA spills bunkers and containers in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
2010 20122011
ITOPF launches new series of training films
2014
Children’s website and games App
released
Wreck Removal Convention 2007 enters into force
2015
ITOPF drops full version of its name and launches new logo to celebrate its
50 year anniversary
2018
SANCHI spills condensate in the East China Sea and is the largest spill from a tanker since the 1990s
Containership incidents present a host of challenges for responders
ITOPF provided advice on environmental considerations during the raising of the COSTA CONCORDIA
through the decadesITOPF
Containers and wrecks, the Arctic region and a commitment to Research and Development.
2010s
26 27
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
Geographic priorities
As part of its strategic objectives, ITOPF has highlighted key countries and regions where the level
of risk and preparedness warrants special attention. One such area is the Arctic, where ITOPF’s
advice has been sought as awareness of the risks involved when operating in this sensitive and
remote environment increased. In 2012, ITOPF formed an internal working group in order to
expand its knowledge of Arctic and ice-related issues and to monitor technological and regulatory
developments. ITOPF was also invited by the Arctic Council to provide expert comment to
a specially convened task force to negotiate what is now a binding agreement governing
co-operation on preparedness and response for marine oil spills in the Arctic.
Disseminating key messages
During this decade ITOPF has developed
more effective ways of disseminating its key
messages and established the Information,
Communications and Education team. In 2012
ITOPF produced an expanded and updated
set of 17 TIPs, which were brought to life
in 2014 with the completion of seven films
promoting good practice in oil spill response.
The “Response to Marine Oil Spills” film series
involved many hours over the course of several
years to obtain footage and prepare scripts.
An eighth film “Oil spills in Cold Climates”
was completed in 2016. The films were made
with the cooperation of key government and
industry partners around the world. They
have subtitles in ten languages and are
widely used in training courses worldwide.
They are streamed on average 38 times a day
and have been watched in over 170 countries. ITOPF R&D Award
ITOPF has supported R&D initiatives on an
ad-hoc basis for many years but, in 2011, this
commitment was given a formal boost with
the creation of the annual ITOPF R&D Award.
This Award provides up to £50,000 each
year, allocated on behalf of ITOPF Members,
Associates and their P&I insurers, to projects
that have the potential to make a valuable
contribution to improving the knowledge and
understanding of issues related to accidental
marine pollution. Eighty applications for funding
have been received since the start of this
initiative with funding awarded to projects in
Europe, North America and Asia. These include
studies on fish health, wildlife rehabilitation,
the fate and behaviour of chemicals and the
detection of oil in ice.
China has also been a priority area for much
of the decade. The high risk of incidents in
the region, together with the enactment of
new legislation to improve preparedness and
response, encouraged ITOPF to increase its
training and education activities here. Building
on its extensive knowledge of fair rates for
services and equipment, staff supported the
P&I Clubs as they worked with Ship Pollution
Response Organisations (SPROs) and
shipowners to pre-agree terms for response
service contracts. To raise awareness of its
technical services, ITOPF also engaged a
China Liaison Officer for a five year period
in Shanghai.
To ensure that all its technical advisers have the necessary skills to attend on site in cold climates, since 2013, members of the team have travelled to northern Sweden to learn how to survive and work in Arctic conditions.
1 Australian Maritime Safety Authority2 North American Marine Environment Protection Association
The ITOPF film series incorporates footage from actual response operations gathered at the site of several oil spills worldwide since 2005, plus stock footage from major incidents since the 1970s and specially shot interviews with key players and staff. The films made a ‘clean sweep’ at the “Savannah Oscars”, the film festival of the International Oil Spill Conference in Savannah, USA, 2014.
To engage children about the marine environment and shipping, ITOPF developed a new game “OIL BOOM” and a children’s website aimed specifically at 5-8 year olds, working in cooperation with key partners AMSA in Australia and NAMEPA2 in the USA.
For its older audience, ITOPF devised an interactive spill response and claims exercise to highlight some of the more challenging issues that need to be considered when a spill occurs.
Some £350,000 has now been distributed to research and development projects worldwide since the creation of the ITOPF R&D Award.
ITOPF TodayToday, ITOPF has a diverse team of 34 people. This includes 15 spill responders who would be expected to spend around 100 days abroad each year working with shipowners, insurers and government agencies on incidents, training and contingency planning activities. They are supported by office-based administrative and support staff in functions such as communications, IT, HR, finance and membership liaison.
Staff on their annual ‘team building’ away day 2016
ITOPFThrough the decades
28 29
30
CasesDuring its 50 year history, ITOPF
has attended over 800 incidents
in 100 countries and provided
remote advice for many others.
This includes most of the major
spills and many smaller ones
involving a wide range of oils and
cargoes, giving the organisation
unparalleled first-hand
experience of the realities of
spill response in the marine
environment.
ATLANTIC EMPRESS,
TobagoTORREY CANYON,
off UK
19791967
IRENES SERENADE,
GreeceSEA STAR,
Gulf of Oman
CASTILLO DE BELLVER,
South AfricaURQUIOLA,
Spain
19831976 19801972 19881978
ODYSSEY, off Canada
AMOCO CADIZ, France
PRESTIGE, SpainEXXON
VALDEZ, USA
200219911989
HEBEI SPIRIT, Republic of Korea
ABT SUMMER, off Angola
HAVEN, Italy
Gulf War spill
DEEPWATER HORIZON, USABRAER, UK
20101996 20071993 20181999
SANCHI, East China SeaSEA EMPRESS, UK ERIKA, France
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
01968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Number of incidents attended by ITOPF
A spill from MT THORSHOV at
Fawley, UK, in 1969 is the first
incident involving a TOVALOP
entered vessel.
01In 1998, ITOPF attends its first (and
currently only) spill in North Korea,
involving a 10 day journey via Hong
Kong, Beijing and Yanji (China)
before reaching the Rajin Sonbong
Special Economic Zone.
05
In 2013 ITOPF provides technical advice
to the Canadian authorities on the
recovery of bunker fuel and pollutants
from the wreck of a World War II US
supply vessel BRIGADIER GENERAL M.G.
ZALINSKI, which sank in 1946.
10
In addition to oil spills, ITOPF has attended incidents including:
Cement
Iron ore
Steel coils
Coal
Soyabeans
Nurdles
Nickel ore
Lead pellets
Sand
Livestock
Wood
HNS
Frozen fish
Cereals
Container contents
In terms of effort expended, the HEBEI
SPIRIT spill of 2007 is by far the
most significant incident for ITOPF to
date. A team of six technical advisers
travel repeatedly to the Republic of
Korea in conditions which at times are
particularly demanding. Staff spend
the equivalent of 1200 days working
on this incident (on-site and from the
office) in its first three years.
06
02ITOPF attends its first spill
on-site from the MT SAIJA off
Corsica in 1972 and produces
its first sitrep.
08In 2014, ITOPF provides technical
recommendations for a spill of furnace
oil in the world’s largest mangrove
in Bangladesh at the request of
the UK Government Department for
International Development.
12In 1982 ITOPF undertakes an
evaluation of the risk of oil pollution
from the VLCC HERCULES which is
found to have an unexploded bomb
lodged in its tanks following an
incident during the Falklands War.
11ITOPF attends a 66,700 tonne spill of
heavy fuel oil from KATINA P off the
coast of Mozambique in 1992 which
poses challenging clean-up problems
for the four staff alternating onsite due
to an ongoing civil war.
In 1984 ITOPF attends an incident in Papua New Guinea involving the loss
of 270 tonnes of sodium cyanide in drums from a towed barge. Initially, the
containers sink but several hours later they refloat to the surface due to the
reaction of seawater with hydrogen peroxide, which generates oxygen and
increases their buoyancy. ITOPF provides advice on the possible environmental
effects of the cyanide.
09
In 1979 ITOPF provides
technical advice for the IOPC
Fund’s first case, the ANTONIO
GRAMSCI spill in the Baltic.
04ITOPF provides technical advice on spill
response measures for the owners of the PIPER
ALPHA oil rig in the North Sea, which explodes
in 1988 with significant loss of life.
03
In 2007 ITOPF attends an incident in
Antarctica involving an ice-strengthened
cruise vessel which encounters
difficulties whilst passing through
pack ice in the Bransfield Strait. ITOPF
provides advice on pollution-related
issues to the Chilean Navy.
07
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01
02
03 04
05
06
08
09
10
11
07
13
14
12
13The most remote incident ITOPF attended
occurs with the grounding and sinking of
bulk carrier, OLIVA, in the Tristan da Cunha
island group in the South Atlantic, 1,750
miles from South Africa and 2,088 miles
from South America in 2011.
14In 2010 the high profile incident
involving the DEEPWATER HORIZON
drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico brings
oil spills back into the spotlight. ITOPF’s
practical knowledge, particularly about
dispersant use and response equipment
worldwide, is called upon to support
industry and government in their
response.
1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
>50
Number of incidents attended
Timeline shows the ten largest tanker spills, plus other significant oil spill events.
1987 is ITOPF’s busiest year in terms of spills attended at 31
31
P&I insurers
The Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs
have played a key role in the success story
of ITOPF and continue to do so. They were
instrumental in the establishment of TOVALOP
and their ongoing support for ITOPF’s work
and facilitation of the payment of dues to
ITOPF on behalf of their shipowner Members
and Associates - often accomplished through
brokers - ensures an equitable and sustainable
mechanism of funding for its services.
ITOPF’s 24 hour emergency service is one
of the most valuable services provided by
ITOPF to the P&I insurers and shipowners.
ITOPF’s presence on site at an incident
provides reassurance that pollution issues are
being dealt with by competent, experienced
and technically qualified staff who can also
act as a useful conduit of information from
site. In addition, the insurers will normally
rely upon ITOPF’s technical assessment of
claims when deciding payments to claimants.
The World Maritime University (WMU) was
founded by IMO in 1983 in Sweden as an
independent academic institution to provide
advanced training for those involved in maritime
administration, education and management,
with a focus on developing countries. The
complementary work of ITOPF to develop a
wider understanding of pollution response led
to an invitation to ITOPF in 2011 to become a
Visiting Professor of the WMU. Many of WMU’s
alumni move on to key positions in maritime
administrations in their home countries and
this connection has served ITOPF well in many
pollution incidents.
The entry into force of the 1971 Fund Convention
in 1978 established the International Oil Pollution
Compensation Fund in London to administer
contributions and claims. ITOPF has been
involved with the IOPC Funds since the outset,
providing technical advice on-site for their first
case, ANTONIO GRAMSCI in 1979 in the Baltic
Sea. ITOPF has had Observer status with the
Fund since 1980, providing an opportunity to
contribute to debates within committees and
working groups on technical issues, including
the concepts of ‘reasonableness’; preventive
measures, economic loss and environmental
damage. ITOPF has provided technical advice
to, and on behalf of, the IOPC Funds for over
80 tanker incidents.
An early relationship with the EEC resulted in
ITOPF’s first major consultancy assignment
in 1978 – namely, a survey of anti-pollution
arrangements in 18 European countries. Later,
following the ERIKA and PRESTIGE incidents,
ITOPF provided a further study in 2004 on
‘Response to Pollution from Ships’ to assist the
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in
deciding its response strategy. More recently
it has advised EMSA on rates for deployed
resources.
The recent focus on shipping in the Arctic
has meant ITOPF has enjoyed an excellent
relationship with the intergovernmental Arctic
Council by contributing to the discussion on
oil pollution preparedness and response
in this most sensitive region.
Working togetherITOPF could not function without the goodwill of its many partners around the world and it appreciates the friendship and support they have given over the last 50 years.
ITOPF’s unique role and position in pollution response means that close cooperation with a broad spread of organisations, companies and individuals is essential. From its outset, ITOPF has built an impressive list of contacts from international governmental and industry bodies; national government agencies; the oil, shipping and insurance industries and with numerous private organisations and other groups. Its work at pollution incidents and its involvement in training courses, conferences, seminars and workshops around the world have kept it close to its partners and ITOPF has worked hard to nurture and build those contacts into trusting, long term relationships.
Intergovernmental organisations
IMO, and its predecessor, the Inter-
Governmental Maritime Consultative
Organization (IMCO), was instrumental in
developing maritime law and international
regulations following a number of significant
tanker incidents in the 1960s and ‘70s. ITOPF
was granted Observer status at IMO in 1980
and its first major assignment was a review of
oil pollution risk and contingency planning in
the Indian sub-continent. Since then, ITOPF
has enjoyed a highly productive partnership,
working jointly on the development of manuals
and guides, and on training assignments
to assist Member States to build capacity,
improve pollution preparedness and to
implement the provisions of IMO conventions
worldwide. A Letter of Agreement was
signed between ITOPF and IMO in 2011 to
formalise this cooperation. ITOPF attends
and contributes regularly to the IMO Pollution
Prevention and Response sub-committee.
Similarly, ITOPF has excellent relations with
a number of regional centres affiliated to
IMO and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), with which it participates
in training courses and collaborates during
incidents.
ITOPF has had Observer status with the IOPC Funds
since 1980 (Photo courtesy of IOPC Funds)
32
IMO Level 2 training course, Busan, Korea, 2013
Working with REMPEC and Cedre to present a training course on HNS spill management in Cairo, Egypt, 2017 33
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
34
Running a training course for Brazil’s Ministry of Environment
Presenting at a claims seminar organised
by the Korean Coast Guard
Conducting a joint survey with the Philippines Coast Guard
Site visit with Korean surveyors, KOMOS, city officials and fishermen to inspect shell farm damage in Yeosu, Korea 1993 (Photo courtesy of KOMOS)
Providing technical advice to clean-up workers in Greece
Resources held by response organisations, such as Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL) or the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), are sometimes recommended by ITOPF to supplement local capability during an incident.
Other organisations and the spill response community
ITOPF works alongside the many organisations
engaged to deal with an incident, such as P&I
correspondents, local surveyors and lawyers.
A diverse range of other groups and individuals
can also be involved in a pollution response;
these include scientific institutions, private
response and waste contractors, consultants
specialising in fisheries, tourism and diving, animal
welfare groups, satellite and aircraft operators
and salvors. They are all well known to ITOPF
and each organisation has complementary
skills and experience.
Government agencies
From the beginning, ITOPF recognised and
appreciated the crucial role of governments in
providing a framework of oil pollution preparedness,
response and compensation. Over the years, ITOPF
has invested considerable resources in supporting
government agencies and, today, has established
close working relationships with many agencies in
different countries around the world.
As a result, ITOPF is often notified of new incidents
directly by national authorities and regularly receives
invitations to take part in exercises and to assist with
contingency planning and other training initiatives.
On-site with the Thai Navy
Working with the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA)
during an incident in ChinaSigning a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on oil
spill response and vessel rates with the aim of expediting
claims for compensation
Visiting the US Coastguard during a secondment with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Observers at a Norwegian Coastal Administration exercise
In 2017, ITOPF, in partnership with IMO and the IOPC Funds, collaborated with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG), IPIECA, the International Salvage Union (ISU), the International Spill Control Organization (ISCO) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) on an exhibition charting 50 years of cooperation between government and industry for the safe transport of oil by sea. (Photo courtesy of IMO)
Industry associations
ITOPF interacts with a wide range of
organisations established to represent the
interests of shipping and the oil industry
through working groups, committees,
training assignments and other projects.
ITOPFWorking together
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ITOPF is an active supporter and contributor to the international spill conferences
ITOPF opened for business with a handful of staff
in 1968, growing to 10 by 1975 when there were
3 in the technical/information team and 7 in
administration. Today it has 34 employees, over
half of whom are in technical roles. This remains
a small workforce given the international scope
and the broad range of technical and other
services which ITOPF now provides.
Throughout its existence, ITOPF has been
extremely fortunate to have attracted and retained
staff of the highest calibre, whose skills and
personal qualities are recognised and valued
throughout the world.
It has also proved to be a very stable organisation.
In its first half century, ITOPF was served by just
seven Managing Directors (and only three in the
last 30 years), there have been 12 Technical
Managers (positions which now run concurrently)
and it has welcomed some 150 employees.
Governed by a board of industry leaders,
successive MDs, ably supported by Technical
Managers and Directors, have ensured that the
knowledge and capabilities of the team have
responded to the changing demand for its
technical services.
Over the years, ITOPF has been fortunate to
benefit from the wisdom of its non-executive
Chairmen and Directors who have given their time
and experience freely. Thanks to its Board, ITOPF
is an organisation of international repute, focused
on current issues and independent of commercial
bias or partisan interests.
Peter John Goulandris was ITOPF’s longest serving Chairman and a Director for 37 years
Peter Michelmore OBE was legal adviser and Company Secretary at ITOPF from 1980 – 2017
ITOPF’s technical staff who respond to spills are
exceptional for their ability to work under pressure
for long periods, often in difficult and tense situations
in remote locations. Their key attributes include first-
rate communication skills and a commitment to high
professional standards and cultural sensitivity when
working with people worldwide. This is in addition to
possessing strong academic credentials. Over half
of the technical team have PhDs and all have post-
graduate degrees in a variety of scientific disciplines
(including marine biology, chemistry, environmental
science, engineering, geography and geology).
Their readiness to travel anywhere in the world at a
few hours’ notice is also noteworthy and thanks are
owed to them and to their long-suffering families.
The technical staff are the ones in the spotlight, but
they would not be able to do their jobs efficiently
without the support of their colleagues in the office.
The commitment and contribution of the technical
support, finance, HR, administration, IT and
information staff are vital to the smooth running of the
organisation and successful delivery of its services.
Although based in London, since the 1980s ITOPF
has attracted an international staff who bring with
them valuable language skills and cultural awareness.
Its current team comprises native speakers of
English, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese,
Italian and Spanish which is a great asset for
response and training assignments.
It is, naturally, sad when team members choose to
move on but it is often not “goodbye”. Previous ITOPF
employees are spread far and wide across the globe
in response and preparedness related positions;
some in government roles, some working for
intergovernmental agencies, NGOs, oil companies,
response contractors and consultancies. There are
often opportunities to work together again, safe in the
knowledge that their ITOPF training and experiences
never leave them and binds them together in the face
of new challenges.
Tim Wadsworth, Technical Support Manager, is in his 27th year at ITOPF
Noelle Nichols (Haring) joined ITOPF in 1969 and served as Membership Secretary for 30 years
ITOPF peopleFrom its modest beginnings, ITOPF’s growth and development is a remarkable success story. This is due in no small part to its people. They were - and remain - the key to its accomplishments.
The ITOPF Directors in 2017Team 2018
ITOPF Managing Directors
ITOPF Chairmen
John H Kirby 1969
Adolph Kurz 1973
Peter John Goulandris 1982
Helge Schmidt 1997
Helmut Sohmen 2001
Bjorn Moller 2006
Paddy Rodgers 2014
ITOPF Technical Managers
John Wardley-Smith 1971
Mike Garnett 1975
Joe Nichols 1987
Tosh Moller 1998
Hugh Parker 1998
Brian Dicks 1998
Karen Purnell 2004
Richard Johnson 2006
Michael O’Brien 2009
Franck Laruelle 2010
Alex Hunt 2012
Mark Whittington 2014
ITOPF Technical Directors (position created in 2009)
Hugh Parker 2009
Richard Johnson 2009
James Malcolmson 1969
Arthur Tripp 1969
Alexander Hetherington 1971
John Archer 1979
Ian White 1987
Tosh Moller 2003
Karen Purnell 2009
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ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
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ITOPF peopleITOPF people
ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
Spill responseAs we move towards an ever-more globalised society, ships will remain critical
to the needs of the world economy. Able to cross the oceans in response to
changing patterns of trade, shipping is as flexible as our imaginations will allow.
We will eliminate some risks associated with transportation by sea but new
risks will emerge. Our statistics already show a trend towards less oil being
spilt from ships and, with more focus on clean shipping, it is likely that the more
polluting fuels will be phased out. Prototypes of ships using alternative forms of
propulsion are already moving from the drawing board to the construction yards,
and sails are even coming back. But what of their cargoes?
It is likely that the ITOPF of the future will have technical expertise in a very wide
range of substances carried by sea and perhaps skills associated with other
aspects of shipping, like wreck removal and ballast water issues. It is also likely
that we will see economic valuation of environmental damages becoming more
prevalent. In which case, ensuring that real data, and not “pseudo-science”,
drives these valuations will be crucial if attempts to achieve fair recompense
are to remain genuine and founded on evidence.
Automation and artificial intelligence are gaining acceptance and are likely to
influence spill response techniques of the future. Drones are already taking the
place of helicopter overflights in some scenarios. Perhaps the future will bring
skimming and oil storage “bots” co-ordinated by drones and utilising “swarm”
tactics to herd the oil! It is not a huge stretch of the imagination to foresee that
these technologies could provide tangible advantages when dealing with spills in
remote or hostile environments. That said, ‘Mother Nature’ reminds us frequently
that she is in charge and, for this reason, our prediction is that response
techniques of the future will still need to rely on strategies that work in harmony
with natural environmental processes, guided by experienced people able to
make common-sense decisions in the context of uncertainty.
Research and Development
Being alert to the changing risks associated with
maritime transportation will mean that ITOPF is ready
to meet the needs of its stakeholders in the future.
Our 2018 R&D Award brings the total R&D funds
provided by ITOPF to date to some £350,000. Each
year the R&D Award Committee reviews applications
describing novel ideas and, as a result, ITOPF has
funded a diverse range of different projects. The findings
of some of these projects should lead to improvements
in the way that we prepare for and respond to incidents,
as well as new techniques for monitoring and restoring
environmental resources. ITOPF’s support of R&D and
the links we make with students undertaking these
projects worldwide will ensure that ITOPF remains
relevant and nurtures a network of potential future
employees and expert responders.
Working practices
Technology, combined with different ways of
working, are likely to mean that the way in which
ITOPF provides its advice in the future will be
different. I trust that we will maintain the all-
important personal contact but, it is likely that
virtual ways of working with those affected by
incidents may become more common. Technology
will almost certainly enhance, and possibly
transform, the way that we deliver our training
courses, bringing them to life and making
them far more interactive.
Anticipating fewer and fewer incidents will mean
a heavy reliance on sharing expertise to ensure
that preparedness remains high. It may also lead
to centres of expertise being created as budgets in
the private and public sectors become ever tighter.
As long as global economies require goods to be
moved by sea, focus on safely delivering these
cargoes to their destinations will remain a priority.
Escalating transport and accommodation costs,
congestion and growing security threats in major
cities like London, are prompting employers and
employees to consider alternative ways of working.
As a people-oriented organisation, staff retention
is important to ITOPF and we have a great track
record of stability. Being in a position to both
attract and keep good staff means that ITOPF
needs to be adaptable and find ways to manage
flexible working practices alongside delivering
a reliable, high quality 24/7 emergency service.
It might mean that staff of the future won’t have a
dedicated desk at a permanent location; perhaps
ITOPF will have a more ‘fluid’ workforce combining
different patterns of working with working from
different offices worldwide or using virtual offices.
In which case, the HR and leadership challenges
of the future are likely to be focused more on
ensuring ITOPF’s safety culture is embedded
no matter where a member of staff is located;
on retaining the team spirit that ITOPF values so
highly; on maintaining consistency in the technical
advice we give, and on avoiding “isolation” should
staff not have a single ‘base’ from which to work.
Key to our success in the future will be effective
communication skills, and not just via technology,
but through individuals who foster and demonstrate
effective interaction.
ITOPF will stay true to its fundamental purpose:
to be well prepared, and to prepare others, to deal
with incidents of pollution wherever and whenever
they may occur.
The future is exciting and the team is ’primed and
ready’ to take ITOPF forward into the next 50 years.
ITOPF has evolved over the past 50 years from an administrative organisation, expected to have only a temporary role alongside the voluntary compensation regimes, to an established technical organisation whose practical advice is sought-after and respected worldwide. Looking ahead to the next 50 years, how might ITOPF develop?
The next 50 years
Karen Purnell, ITOPF’s Managing Director, looks to the future
Photo: Dianna Bonner
ITOPF will stay true to its fundamental purpose: to be well prepared, and to prepare others, to deal with incidents of pollution wherever and whenever they may occur.
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Photo: Rolls-Royce plc
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ITOPF – Celebrating 50 years
ITOPF Ltd1 Oliver’s Yard 55 City RoadLondonEC1Y 1HQ
T +44 (0)20 7566 6999E [email protected]
www.itopf.org